The 'Lost Boys' of Palawan: A new way of life when fishing is no longer enough
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The 'Lost Boys' of Palawan: A new fashion of life when fishing is no longer plenty
Aboard a wooden sailboat, the Lost Boys of Tao Philippines atomic number 82 an expedition in Palawan on the remote western border of the Philippines. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo)
EL NIDO, Philippines: The Lost Boys of Palawan know exactly where they are heading. Doracotan Island is visible on the blue horizon. They can spot its tall palm trees, white powdery beach and a row of bamboo huts, which abound larger and larger every bit the Bangka boat glides through the sea waves.
Aboard the Bangka, a local name for the native wooden boat with 2 outriggers, xx or then explorers are soaking themselves in the final day of an expedition prowl. They are travellers from diverse parts of the world who want to get lost in the raw and secluded nature of Palawan islands, while keeping a good distance from mainstream tourism.
Leading the expedition is a small Filipino with a big smile named Aneil Raniel. He oversees both the travellers and the crew. They are the Lost Boys of Tao Philippines – a social enterprise that empowers Palawan communities through sustainable tourism.
Aneil himself is one of the Lost Boys. These are young Filipino islanders, both male and female, recruited by Tao for apprenticeships and stable jobs in community-based tourism. They bring travellers on rustic sea journeys to the most remote islands in Palawan for off-the-beaten-runway experiences through untouched nature, local people and culture.
Like Aneil, many Lost Boys come up from families of fisherfolk – a traditional but struggling occupation in the present-day Philippines.
"Before, you could practise line-fishing just in front of your house and you could get 1,000 kg. Just now, you need to become out in the middle of the body of water for 3-vii days, or a calendar month. They're really hard to find," said Aneil, 34, an ex-fisherman from Coron in northern Palawan.
Dwindling fish catches take fabricated life in the isle province difficult. Although Palawan is one of the Philippines' richest line-fishing grounds, small-scale fishermen find it hard to compete with big commercial fishing companies and their advanced tools.
Data from the Philippines Statistics Potency shows a steady decline in fisheries production from four.69 million metric tonnes in 2022 to iv.35 million metric tonnes in 2018. Last year, municipal fisheries too recorded a drop in the 3rd quarter from the same menses in the previous year, the authorities reported.
Besides overfishing, reduced fish yields are likewise linked to college body of water surface temperature and changes in ocean circulation, according to the 2022 Philippine Climate Change Assessment.
The state of affairs has forced many fishermen to notice new jobs. Just options are restricted in the remote western province of Palawan, at least for islanders with no degrees or skills exterior everyday island life. Here, poverty is also widespread and children grow up with limited opportunities. Many youths are stuck in their villages with nowhere to go or jobs to do.
Before joining Tao, Aneil felt lost. He did not finish school and struggled to earn money for his family. "I was walking in the dark. I didn't know what to do," he said.
For Filipinos, if you grow up on an island, you're stuck in that location.
Then someone he knew asked him to join the social enterprise. The business had merely started off then and it was looking for locals to aid run the expeditions. Aneil has been with them for 14 years, he says. He still remembers the commencement twenty-four hour period and how difficult it was to "acquire everything", from climbing coconut trees to gardening, working in the kitchen, speaking English language and bringing tourists to snorkelling spots.
"You lot need to learn everything – down and slowly, step by step, up," he said.
'NO MORE FISH TO Catch'
Every bit the Bangka reaches its destination, the explorers scattered around the island before lunch. Some of them are snorkelling well-nigh an old shipwreck that in one case lay on the beach. Others but bask the natural globe around them as the salty sea breeze ruffles their pilus.
In a big bamboo hut, the Lost Boys are hard at work. Fried freshly caught fish, vegetarian spring rolls and greens sautéed with kokosnoot milk will presently be served to their guests. Cooking is a must-have skill for the crew, Aneil says.
"And information technology'southward non simply cooking that we practise. After cooking, you have to bring all your food and explain what kind of food nosotros accept for lunch. You lot have to use English language in front of the people," he added. "That's a really good idea to railroad train people. You need to learn other experiences for yourself every bit well."
Community development forms the backbone of Tao Philippines. Its 300 staff are working to back up their local families and natural environment, while tapping on the booming tourism manufacture.
The main basecamp in El Nido serves as a preparation ground for village youths. Here they larn how to adapt their versatile isle-life skills for tourism purposes, as dwindling fish stocks force families to seek a more than stable source of livelihood.
Delbert Batindaan remembers when the bounding main was abundant. He could easily catch l kg of fish in a day. Now, it is very difficult to even get 10 kg. He says there is nothing left to catch near the Palawan shore anymore.
"We stopped angling because we realised information technology was no skilful," said Delbert. The 47-year-sometime left fisheries several years agone and now works equally a captain for a tourist boat.
"The weather is as well unpredictable and tin can be turbulent. You might catch a typhoon while y'all're in the centre of the body of water. Things are unlike because of climate change," he added.
Climate alter poses a corking challenge to the Philippines. With its extensive coastlines, the island nation is among the near vulnerable countries in the world to climate change hazards.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Assistants (PAGASA) – a national institution specialised in weather condition and flood atmospheric condition – continued temperature increases, rapid body of water level ascent and tropical cyclones could put further stress to fishing opportunities.
"Migration of fish to cooler and deeper waters would force the fisher folks to travel further from the coasts in guild to increase their catch," PAGASA said.
Many islanders in Palawan know fishing as their only livelihood. Just this traditional means of living may not be enough to assist them survive the uncertain future.
"A lot of people have joined tourism because they realised in that location'll be no more than fish to catch someday. So, they run into the tourism industry equally a viable source of income," Delbert said.
A rise in tourism has offered more opportunities in Palawan. Last year, its governor Jose C Alvarez promised economic development in the province. Parts of the program include tourism infrastructure that he said could bring in 5 one thousand thousand tourists and 250 billion pesos (US$4.9 billion) to the local economy and generate jobs.
For the Lost Boys, the growing industry has inverse their lives and broadened their world. Their jobs provide them with stable income and an opportunity to unlock their potential. All they need is to pace out of their shell and piece of work hard for the life they want to alive.
"You demand to explore. Learn everything," Aneil said. "I feel the world is bigger. I'm actually proud of myself."
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/asia/the-lost-boys-of-palawan-fishing-tourism-climate-change-245491
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